Max Scherzer Playoff History

 

Photo by Jason Schott.

Max Scherzer will be taking the mound for the Mets on Friday night in the first game of the Wild Card Series at Citi Field. 

This is what the Mets envisioned when they brought in arguably the best pitcher of his generation last November, and it comes after a regular season in which he went 11-5 with a 2.29 earned run average (ERA) in 23 games (he missed two months with multiple injuries). He threw 145 1/3 innings, allowing 39 runs (37 earned) on 108 hits and 24 walks, with 173 strikeouts.

The Mets posted this on social media Friday, revealing they will wear black, per their usual on Friday night. @Mets.

Scherzer got the nod over Jacob DeGrom for this one because of his postseason experience.

This will be the seventh time Scherzer has pitched the opener of a series, and it’s the second straight year he will, as he pitched in the Wild Card Game last year for the Los Angeles Dodgers. With this start on Friday night, Scherzer will move into a tie for eighth in Game 1 starts in the World Series era, which began in 1903. Jon Lester, who pitched for Boston, Oakland, and the Cubs in the postseason and has three rings, is the all-time leader with 12 Game 1 starts. 

Scherzer has a championship ring, from when he was part of the Washington Nationals in 2019, when he won Game 7 in Houston. 

Scherzer’s postseason rankings are astounding, starting with his seven victories, which are tied for fifth among active pitchers and tied for 24th all-time. His 21 games started is tied for third among active players, and tied-12th all-time. He has thrown 128 2/3 innings in the postseason, ranked third among active pitchers and 18th all-time. Opponents have hit just .195 against Scherzer in the playoffs, giving him a rank of seventh among active pitchers and 16th all-time.